Social Cohesion: Insights from Canadian ... - Faculty of Social Sciences

Strategic Research and Analysis

Recherche et analyse stratégiques

Social Cohesion: Insights from Canadian Research Presentation by M. Sharon Jeannotte at the Conference on Social Cohesion Hong Kong, November 29, 2003 Reference: SRA-827-dck For a PDF copy of this report contact us at: [email protected] or Fax: (819) 997-6765



Outline of presentation Debates about definitions of social

cohesion Overview of Canadian research on social cohesion Key findings about social cohesion Public policy implications Possible model for social cohesion 2



Definitional debates Social cohesion is:

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often defined as a political, economic or social threat treated both as: • an independent variable • a dependent variable

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Jenson’s five dimensions of social cohesion Belonging Inclusion Participation Recognition Legitimacy

Isolation Exclusion Non-involvement Rejection Illegitimacy

4



Bernard’s formal and substantive dimensions of social cohesion Formal

Substantive

Equality/Inequality

Inclusion/Exclusion

Recognition/Rejection

Belonging/Isolation

Legitimacy/Illegitimacy

Participation/Noninvolvement

5



Social Cohesion Network’s definition “Social cohesion is based on the

willingness of individuals to cooperate and work together at all levels of society to achieve collective goals.” Focus is on outcomes and behaviours

(dependent variables) No focus on inputs or enabling conditions (independent variables) 6



Canadian research framework Social Cohesion Research Network

established in 1997 – over 20 departments and agencies are involved Work undertaken to: - develop a conceptual framework - develop indicators - do research under three themes - consult widely on priorities for future research 7



Faultlines Research addressed three issues:

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intersection of ethnic, gender and agerelated faultlines with economic disadvantage linkages between economic exclusion and political, social and cultural exclusion means of bridging faultlines

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Changing axes of community identification Research addressed three issues:

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Citizenship as an element of social cohesion (included national identity, belonging, system of rights and political and civic participation) How values have changed in the 1990s Implications of changing levels of trust (for governments and for citizens) 9



Implications of changes in social cohesion Research focused on four issues:

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Economic implications Health and well-being implications Security implications Institutional and governance implications

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Key findings on social cohesion

There are faultlines and growing cleavages in Canadian society. These cleavages are contributing to a weakening of the axes of community identification in Canada -- the basis of social cohesion and social citizenship. Consequences of weakened axes of community identification are: poor social and economic outcomes growing political disenchantment 11



FIG URE 1- SEG MEN TA TION EV OLUTIO N CA NAD A, 1996-2002 Conform ity and exclusion Nihilists

M aterialists

22% (+15)

13% (+1)

16% (- 3) Outerdirected

Hedo nists

Conservatives Innerdirected

21% (+3)

15% (--)

12% (- 17) E xplorers

Skeptics Individualism and idealism

Source: CROP Inc., “Citizenship, Governance and Social Change”, July 3, 2003



Public policy implications of social cohesion Research has shown correlations between

social cohesion and: - economic development - population health - well-being of children - security of communities - functioning of institutions - social capital investments 13



A systems theory model for social cohesion Social cohesion has multiple independent

and dependent variables linked in a complex system characterized by: - emergent properties (more than the sum of the system parts) - adaptive capabilities (ability to withstand change in the environment) - self-referential and unpredictable outcomes 14



Figure 2 - How does social cohesion work? Social Social policy policy Economic Economic policy policy

Society Society with with given given propensity propensity to cooperate cooperate

Institutions, Institutions, norms, and norms, and shared shared meanings

meanings

Distribution of income / social benefits

Economic Economic

Education Education

Security Security

Cultural capital Civil Civil society society

Health Health

Community Community wellwellbeing being

Social Capital Social Outcomes Source: Strategic Research and Analysis Directorate, Department of Canadian Heritage



Dealing with complex social problems Need to recognize that:

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different stakeholders may not agree no definitive statement of problem is possible problem is embedded in a dynamic social context and solutions must be assessed in that context problem-solving is a social process of “learning what works” 16


Is all policy social cohesion policy?


Systems model recognizes that social

cohesion results not from the individual components of the system but from: - the interconnections between them - feedback loops between them - the interactions among the parts Good policy is the only lever available to governments to influence social cohesion 17